Drive Away With Me
by UltimateDovahkiin
Summary: You're John Egbert, you're twenty-seven years old and life kinda sucks right now. You just want to drive away from everything that's ever been awful to you. But now, you're reunited with the girl you feared the most in high school-and it's surprisingly not a bad thing. JohnVris one-shot.


The slight patter of rain that tapped on your car didn't stop you from stepping out in the car lot and checking out your dream car. Your job just barely gives you enough money to rent out an apartment, but it never hurts to look at the car you could be cruising around town in twenty years down the road. You had some pretty wild aspirations, even you could admit that, but where you currently stood at your life, they were the only things keeping you sane.

Wait, but who are you? Your name is John Egbert. You're twenty-seven. You're working a full time job filling papers and pretending to care at meetings in some corporation. Honestly, you don't even know what the corporation does; you just do what your boss tells you to do and try not to be laid off. You've had this job for six years, and it's basically all you do. You can't remember the last time you had a phone call with your long best friend Dave Strider, or even a cup of coffee with your step-sister Jade Harley.

Looking at cars was the only joy you experience nowadays. It was a sad, melancholy ritual you took part in everyday after work. You drove to whatever car lot your involuntary zombie-like mindset told you to go to, and you'd look at the most expensive, flashy sports cars available. It was easy to imagine yourself cruising in downtown Los Angeles, sometimes with your friends, sometimes with a random girl you found attractive in 7th grade.

Not only did you like the cars you were looking at, you liked the peace and solace this time gave you. No one was up at this hour, much less up looking at cars. The busy workplace and small apartment your days revolved around gave you no room to allow your mind to wander, and feel somewhat free.

You hadn't always been this wistful, though. You used to be fairly outgoing, and you're still an extrovert deep down inside, but your high spirits have been crushed over the years. The downfall started in high school, where you endured four years of bullying and loneliness. Then, for the three years after high school, you hopped from part-time job to part-time job, trying to find something that wasn't obnoxiously controlled by absurd customer demand or ridiculously overcrowded by other coworkers. When you landed your current job and bought an apartment at 22, you thought you were set. Unfortunately, you under estimated just how little time was granted to you for socialization or basically anything other than work. Not to mention the constant degrading you go through every day. You've been promoted twice since you got the job, and you're still treated like dirt. You're looked down upon, ordered around, and ignored.

So that's why the raindrops slightly clouding up your glasses and wetting up your hair aren't fazing you. When your dumb movies and computer coding all but amused you any more, you found a new love in cars. There was a fantasy that always controlled you, the dream of purchasing one of these gems, and just driving away. You would go to LA, far, far away from the streets of Chicago, away from your job, away from everything that's dragged you down your whole life.

You were in another one of your fantasies when you spotted a pair of headlights coming down the lane you were browsing in. The car stopped just a few parking spots down from where you stood, right behind your own car, and a woman stepped out.

You could easily see her features under the bright lights that shone all night long over the lot. She had long, sleek black hair, large glasses, and dark skin. Despite the temp being in the twenties and freezing rain falling, she wore skinny jeans and a baggy tank top. You weren't sure why anyone else would be here but you-but now your quiet haven was soiled, and you wanted to leave.

The woman approached the same car you were looking at, and peeked inside the passenger side window. You really felt the need to leave now, but your feet wouldn't budge. You instead shoved your hands into your pockets and tried not to look constipated as you focused on not freaking out.

"You know, I've always loved a car with a white interior. Makes it look clean, ya'know? Never could afford anything more than a used piece of crap with a load of miles logged in though. No clean new white interiors for me," She said. She stood up straight and made eye contact with you over the roof of the car. She had a certain sense of arrogance surrounding her, and you couldn't help but associate her face with a feeling of familiarity.

"Uh, yeah," You responded weakly. Your voice cracked slightly, and the feeling of embarrassment made its way to your cheeks.

She smirked, and you nearly flipped out. Did she really just...it's not like you could control when your voice cracked. God, she was annoying already.

"So you're in the same boat as me, huh? Dreams just a bit bigger than your wallet," she said.

You shrugged. "I suppose." Why was she talking to you like you were two long lost friends. Why was she trying to compare herself to you. She was really bothering you. You _really_ wanted to leave.

"I have to say. You look really familiar."

You were definitely surprised to hear that. How were you even supposed to react to that? "Uh, you do too," you mustered.

"What highschool did you go to?" She pressed.

"Uh...Lakeview?"

Her eyes lit up, and she smiled widely. "What was your graduating year?"

"2006?" You said, trying not to be rude and sound annoyed.

She let out an excited laugh. "No way! It _is _you, I _knew _it!"

You only gave her a confused look.

"I'm Vriska, Vriska Serket. And you're John Egbert! We were buddies back in high school!" she exclaimed.

Your heart sank and your jaw fell a little. Vriska Serket beat you up in ninth grade. In tenth, she tripped you going down the stairs, and you ended up breaking you ankle. In eleventh, she hid her drugs in your backpack without your knowing, and it fell out-resulting in a four month suspension for you. Then, for the real shocker, she asked you out in the very beginning of twelfth grade.

"Uh...hey, Vriska. It's been a while, hasn't it?" You tried not to flip out, yet again. Here she was, one of the people you feared most as a teenager, smiling at you like you were her long lost BFF.

"Hell yeah it's been awhile! Way too long of a while! What have you been up to? Actually-here's an idea! Let me give you my number, we can go see a movie or go out to eat sometime. I know this great place with live music every Saturday night that only features undiscovered local rock bands, it's _awesome. _Are you free this Saturday? I'm pretty sure I am-"

Suddenly, your courage took control of your mouth and you interrupted her. "Vriska, shut up!"

She looked at you with an expression not even shock could describe. Her mouth shut, and she eyed you with interest and slight vexation.

Now that you had her full attention, you tried not to squirm and fumble over your words. It was really pathetic how many social skills you had lost over the years.

"Listen...it's great...I guess...to see you after so many years, but I don't think you understand our relationship in high school as I understand it."

She said nothing and so you took that as permission to continue.

"I mean...in high school...you were, erm, _mean_ to me. You broke my ankle, after all. And caused me to be suspended for a long time. My dad thought I was a pot head. I had a black eye and broken glasses for two weeks my first month of freshman year. All because of you. I'm sorry I'm not as excited to see you as you are to see me...but you really have to see why that is."

She was quiet for a moment, and you feared she was going to beat you up again. Honestly, despite all those awful things she did to you, you didn't hate her. She was funny, creative, and really smart. You politely declined when she asked you out, but you had wished you two could have remained friends to some extent, or at least form a friendship that didn't cause you physical harm.

She wrapped her arms around herself, and you thought of how cold she must be.

"I'm really sorry about all that, John. I was kind of a bitch in high school, I'll admit it. I wish I hadn't done those things. I was just released from prison a few weeks ago. It was so shitty, but I had time to evaluate myself in there. I want to change; I'm so awful, I just...I want to be more like you."

"More like me?" You were curious as to why she was in prison, and a little surprised, but you decided against pressing it.

Her face lit up. "Yeah! I mean, besides being a dork, you were also really cool! And, I guess I don't have to change to be like you exclusively, but you know...just less me would be nice."

"Well, I don't think you should change at all," you said.

She gave you an annoyed look.

"I mean, you could work on your people skills maybe...but you've got a lot of awesome qualities otherwise! Like...maybe you could be a little more nice to people, or practice being more friendly than physical. But you were always a good leader! And you were smart, you had a nice sense of humor too."

She smiled warmly at you. "Thanks, John. Maybe I could be more forgiving, too. You seem to have that down, considering I was pretty awful to you."

"Well, to be honest, I'm just really bad at hating someone. No matter how bad anyone was to mess up, I just always kinda forgave them automatically. I always saw the good in people."

Vriska nodded. "That would be nice. I wish I could be like that."

The conversation died, and you noticed just how cold you felt. You then glanced over at Vriska, shivering in her tank top, attempting to warm her hands in her pants pockets.

"Hey, food sounds really good. Saturday works for me. Let's exchange numbers. Maybe we can catch up a little bit more." You walked over to where she stood, and pulled out your phone. She smiled through the entire process of swapping numbers.

"I'll be sure to call you," She said.

"I'll be sure that I'm on break when you do," you responded, smiling at her.

She then wrapped her arms around you, and pulled you close to her. You weren't going to deny it, but you felt a little awkward. You returned her hug anyways.

She pulled away and you thrust your hands back into your pockets.

"Thank you, John. You're the only person who's treated me like an actual human being since I've gotten out," she said. Her eyes were full of some sort of sadness, yet relief and gratitude at the same time.

"Everyone deserves to be treated like a human. And everyone deserves a second chance."

She smiled lightly, and then sighed. "Well, I better beat it. I underestimated just how cold it would be out here," she said, turning to leave.

"Wait!" you called out.

She turned back to you, her eyebrow arched curiously. "What's up?"

"Why were you out here tonight, anyways?" You asked her.

She beamed at him, and let out a short laugh. "Because you're not the only one who wants to drive away from everything."

You watched her get in her car and drive away, dumbstruck and awed all at the same time. In that moment, you knew that maybe, just maybe-there was one thing you might not want to drive away from in these Chicago streets.


End file.
